Onsite HICS Training

HICS for Healthcare Managers

Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) training for hospital staff that may function in key management roles during emergencies. The program combines lecture, case studies, and a facilitated tabletop exercise to educate and inform personnel about the value and need of HICS to better manage the incident, personnel and resources during a crisis or disaster.

Instruction focuses on the core learning objectives established for National Incident Management System and addresses all required learning objectives for IS-100HC (Introduction to the ICS) and IS-700 (Introduction to NIMS). HICS for Healthcare Managers includes a subscription to DQE-On-Demand^TM HICS internet training for hospital staff.

Training Topics

• Appraisal of current issues in healthcare emergency management and how they affect local hospital preparedness efforts
• Discussion of the features and attributes of the HICS and NIMS
• Walk through on how to apply the HICS principles to health care organizations
• Instruction on how to initiate and apply the HICS program at their home facilities
• Discussion on how to expand and contract the HICS hierarchy depending upon the incident
• Facilitated, tabletop exercise that provides participants with an opportunity to become familiar with HICS. Participants will demonstrate an understanding and familiarity with the operation of the HICS roles and interactions during a simulated exercise

Course Information

Duration: 8 hours
Class Size: Maximum of 50
Class Location: Onsite at the client hospital

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Hospital Command Center (HCC) Workshop

The cornerstone of an incident command system (ICS)—and specifically, the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS)—is that it enables hospitals to better organize resources, staff, and facilities in order to remain operational during an emergency and promote the restoration of day-to-day operations.

During a crisis, the effectiveness of the hospital’s incident management team is greatly enhanced when they have access to a prepared location to convene and coordinate planning and response activities, resources, and information. To be effective, the Hospital Command Center (HCC) must be appropriately located, equipped, and secured. In addition, those designated to work in the HCC need to fully understand how to work efficiently and effectively in an environment that operates on a different plane from one’s normal daily activities.

This comprehensive Hospital Command Center Workshop combines lecture, equipment demonstration, and a tabletop exercise to prepare incident management team members to function effectively in a command center.

HCC training is the next step that hospital leaders should take in their ongoing preparedness effort to operationalize ICS into their emergency management program and organizational culture. Attendees of this program must be familiar with the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS-IV) and have successfully completed IS-100, IS-200, and ICS-700.

Training Topics

• Discuss the benefits of using the Hospital Command Center (HCC) within the ICS structure and how to maximize efficiency and productivity
• Describe the role and function of an HCC in an emergency/crisis event
• Review the triggers for HCC activation and de-activation
• Discuss the ideal design, location, and space requirements for an HCC, including the importance of identifying and preparing an alternative site
• Walk through the steps needed to activate the HCC and make it functional
• Review equipment and supply needs for an HCC
• Demonstrate use of communication devices, information tracking systems, HICS forms, identification vests, and other equipment and/or tools currently employed by the hospital
• Facilitate a brief tabletop exercise that incorporates HICS positions, job action sheets, decision making priorities, incident planning, communication, and event documentation

Course Information

Duration: 4 hours, 2 workshops can be conducted per day
Class Size: Maximum of 20 participants
Class Location: Onsite at the client hospital in the designated HCC

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